NEW DELHI: A recent social media post by Nitu Mohanka, a Chartered Accountant turned mindset coach, has sparked conversations about the toll long work hours take on personal lives.
Mohanka shared her experiences of working up to 14 hours a day and the significant impact it had on her relationships and personal milestones. Her candid reflections have resonated with countless social media users who revealed their own struggles with long hours.
Mohanka’s post began with an anecdote, “Boss: How long can you even stare at your wife? Me: Longer than I can stare at Excel sheets.”
She revealed that this exchange mirrored her life a decade ago, where 14-hour workdays, late-night emails, and missed family moments were the norm.
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One of the most heartbreaking moments for Mohanka was when her five-year-old daughter drew a family picture without her in it. When asked why, the child’s response was, “Mama is always at the office.”
The drawing now sits on Mohanka’s desk, serving as a stark reminder of the cost of prioritizing work over life. She said, “Measuring success in hours instead of impact comes at a steep price.”
Highlighting the adverse effects of excessive work hours, Mohanka cited research that shows productivity plummets after 55 hours per week. Beyond this threshold, she argued, work becomes “performance theater” at the expense of health, relationships, and creativity.
Mohanka’s post comes in the wake of widespread criticism directed at L&T Chairman SN Subrahmanyan, whose remarks advocating for a 90-hour workweek have gone viral. In a video shared on social media, Subrahmanyan questioned the utility of domestic life, asking, “What do people even do at home? How long can you stare at your wife?”
The undated video, believed to be from an internal meeting, showcased Subrahmanyan expressing regret about not being able to mandate Sunday workdays. His comments—“If I can make you work on Sundays, I will be more happy”—sparked outrage, with critics questioning the fairness of expecting lower-salaried employees to adhere to such grueling schedules.
Social media users lambasted Subrahmanyan’s remarks, labeling them as out of touch. “Not everyone can afford the same lifestyle or support systems as top executives,” one user commented.
